


Trapped

by Burgie



Series: Katja Joins Team Good AU [3]
Category: Star Stable
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-06
Updated: 2016-06-06
Packaged: 2018-07-12 15:55:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7112464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katja volunteers to scope out Fort Maria for the druids.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trapped

It was strange, what the druids chose to focus on sometimes. Although sometimes, it really did seem like they were only going along with the whims of the chosen one. Katja didn’t know how she felt about the idea of there being a chosen one, but at least it wasn’t her. And at least the chosen one didn’t have a huge ego or something. That was something.

“I want to figure out what’s up with Fort Maria,” said Louisa. “People go in and never come out, like some kind of chocolate factory.”

“Not everything is like a novel, Soul Rider,” said Fripp. “Fort Maria is potentially a dangerous place. We must proceed with caution.”

“Or it could just be something minor and not world-threatening at all,” said Louisa.

“Oh, please,” said Katja with a scoff. “What on this island isn’t world-threatening?”

“Well, you, now,” said Louisa. 

Katja smiled at her, deciding not to joke about it. The druids might take it seriously, runes or no runes.

“She’s right, though,” said Alex. “Lots of things on this island are dangerous. Only some of us are better at finding the dangerous things.” She looked pointedly at Lisa, who elbowed her friend in the ribs.

“So if Fort Maria is so dangerous, maybe we should check it out,” said Louisa. “It can’t hurt.”

“Yes it can,” said Elizabeth. “Were you listening at all to what Alex and Katja were saying?”

“Yeah but I’m just talking about checking it out, not actually going in there,” said Louisa. “There’s a difference.”

“Checking something out always leads to going in there,” said Linda. “Right, Lisa?”

“Yes,” said Lisa, crossing her arms over her chest.

“My spies haven’t mentioned much about Fort Maria, even when I’ve inquired directly about it,” said the Spy Master. “In this case, I believe that we can only find out more by going in.”

“I’ll do it,” said Katja, ever eager to earn their trust. Maybe volunteering for what seemed to be a suicide mission would make them trust her more. They trusted her enough to let her into the Secret Stonering, although that was largely due to the fact that being there didn’t hurt her.

“What? No,” said Alex, grabbing her hand tightly. “Then you’ll be stuck in there.”

“Well, I have all of time to get out again,” said Katja. “And it’s not like anything can kill me in there. I’m immortal, remember?”

“Not to mention the fact that she may be able to teleport out,” said Elizabeth. “Or she could be able to use her water powers to call the sea in and bring everyone out.”

“Okay,” said Fripp. “The Dark One-“ he abruptly stopped when Katja shot a glare at him. “Er, our new ally, can help us in this endeavour.”

“Excellent,” said Katja. “I’ll find a way in tomorrow.”

The next day, Alex insisted on riding through Epona and out to Fort Maria with Katja. They rode slowly and silently through the marsh and then the town, but Alex finally spoke up as they were riding past the stables.

“What if there’s a portal to Pandoria in there and that’s why nobody’s been able to get back out?” asked Alex.

“Not likely,” said Katja. “Although the portal gate is fairly close by, it’s not close enough to cause any major problems.”

“I guess you’d know, huh?” said Alex. She looked up to smile at Katja, but her smile fell when she saw that Katja looked as unsure as she felt.

“Yeah,” said Katja. She shivered despite the heat of the day. “I kind of wish I hadn’t volunteered now that you mention that.”

“So why did you?” asked Alex. They stopped at the point where Maria Road started.

“Because I want them to trust me,” said Katja. “They don’t trust me, not yet. And I hate that because it means that there’s still every chance that they’ll decide I’m not worth the risk and… and…”

“If it makes you feel any better, there was a time when they didn’t trust me either,” said Alex.

“There was?” asked Katja. “But you’re a Soul Rider. One of the chosen ones.”

“I was a little rebellious and not very good at self-control back when I first awakened,” said Alex. “Think picking fights and using my powers to get free electricity forever.”

“Really?” asked Katja, giggling at the thought of Alex being so reckless. “I mean, the fight thing I saw, you were about to deck me when I tricked you way back then, but abusing your powers?”

“All of us do,” said Alex. “But don’t tell the druids that. Linda sometimes gives out lottery numbers or uses her powers to spoil books or place bets, Lisa once raised the dead but we don’t talk about that, and Anne used to just go to Pandoria for holidays before she took a permanent one there.”

“Raised the dead,” said Katja. “Really? That sounds hilarious.”

“It is now,” said Alex, giggling. “Really scary at the time, though.”

“I’m sure it was,” said Katja. “But seriously, they trust you now because they have to. They don’t have to trust me. I don’t even know why you trust me.”

“You haven’t given me a reason not to,” said Alex. “And the truth serum kind of proved it.”

“I guess,” said Katja. “The truth serum was enough for you but not for them.” She sighed. “Not even these were enough.” She rolled up the sleeves of her sweater, having already removed her coat earlier, to reveal the twisting runes that severed her connection to Garnok.

“You love me,” said Alex. “That’s enough for me.” She cupped Katja’s face in her hands and kissed her.

After that, the ride up to Fort Maria was relatively easy. Only now it wasn’t Katja who was worried.

“Wait,” said Alex, grabbing Katja’s elbow. “This might be the last time I see you.”

“Then I guess I’ll have to do everything in my power to get out and see you again,” said Katja with a smile at her girlfriend.

“Good luck in there,” said Alex. “And if this is the last time I see you, then at least you look good.”

“That’s something,” said Katja with a giggle. Her expression sobered as she looked up at the doors looming in front of her. “Hmm. Use shadow sight and see if you can see anything.”

“You don’t have that ability?” asked Alex. “Huh, I guess Fripp was wrong when he said that the Generals have similar powers to us.”

“Sangordha might have it but we sirens don’t,” said Katja. “Or if there is, I don’t know the song for it.”

“Okay,” said Alex. She closed her eyes for a moment and they were glowing when she opened them again, as were her palms. “Wow, that’s bright. The walls are this bright white colour, probably warded or something. But they don’t look like the runestones do. This is more like they’re keeping things out.”

“Or in,” said Katja. She gulped. “Oh, I hope this isn’t a prison for some evil beast.”

“Hey, like you said before, it’s not like it’ll kill you,” said Alex.

“Thanks, honey. It’s nice to know that my girlfriend is so blasé about me potentially being killed a thousand different ways,” said Katja with a roll of her eyes.

“I was trying to make you feel better,” said Alex. “You’ll come back to me, one way or another. And if there is a beast in there that tortures you, I’ll make it sorry it ever messed with me.”

“You look like an avenging angel, saying it like that,” said Katja. “With your eyes and hands all glowy.”

“That’s me, the avenging angel,” said Alex. “I’ll try to see beyond the wards. Or maybe I could get a better look if you opened the doors.”

“Okay,” said Katja. “But just in case the doors pull me in, could you maybe give me a kiss goodbye?”

“I’d rather say goodbye to you another way, but there’s no time or space,” said Alex. “A kiss will just have to do.”

But it was more than just a simple kiss. Alex made it count, because of course she would. She kissed Katja up against the stone walls of Fort Maria, her lips and tongue moving hungrily. At first Katja laughed at her girlfriend’s eagerness, but soon she was returning the kiss with the same intensity.

“Will that do?” asked Alex, finally coming up for air.

“Now you’ve made me want more,” said Katja. “But if I don’t go in now, I’ll never go in. And then they’ll never trust me.” She stepped away from the wall, smoothing down her clothes and hair.

“That was the intention,” said Alex. “I don’t want you to go in.”

“Believe me, neither do I,” said Katja. “But I have to.” She swung herself back up into Stalker’s saddle. “Come on, Stalker, let’s go check this place out.” She pulled the door open and slowly walked Stalker inside, all too aware of Alex using magic behind her.

“Nothing in there,” said Alex. “Looks like it’s just meant to be some fancy prison.”

“And I’ve walked into it,” said Katja. “Fantastic.” She tried to turn around, but Stalker wouldn’t budge. The door closed behind her with a thud that Katja felt deep in her bones. Only then was she free to move.

Fort Maria was a beautiful place, for a prison. The smooth sandstone was reminiscent of Fort Pinta, only in the middle there was a large building towering above the walls. Katja dismounted and walked towards it, leaving Stalker to wander of his own accord.

Katja stopped at the foot of the tower when she felt something tugging at her thoughts. It was a familiar presence, and she tuned into it.

 _“Did the druids trap you here?”_ asked Jessica. _“It serves you right if they did. You don’t trust the enemy, Katja, you just don’t.”_

 _“No,”_ said Katja, scowling. _“I came in here to check it out.”_ Although now that Jessica had mentioned it, she had her doubts. Louisa had suggested it, and she was on Katja’s side, but the druids had okayed it far too readily. Maybe they wanted her to become trapped in here.

 _“Sure you did. You fell for their trap,”_ said Jessica. _“I’m not entirely cruel, though. I’m sending Buck there.”_

 _“You are entirely cruel, you sadistic bitch,”_ said Katja, growling as tears came to her eyes. _“You know damn well what he is to me.”_

 _“Maybe but he’s also your protector or whatever. Use him as you will. Bye bye,”_ said Jessica, and then her thoughts were gone.

Katja sighed as she felt her champion appear outside the walls. It was such a pity that she couldn’t feel Alex like that.

 _“What are my orders?”_ asked Buck. _“Do you want me to fight the Lightning Soul Rider again?”_

 _“No,”_ said Katja. _“No, don’t do that. Just stay there near the door and stop anyone else from coming in.”_

 _“I will obey,”_ said Buck. Katja severed the mental connection and wiped away her tears. Then she ran up the winding walkway surrounding the tower until she could see over the walls. Alex was still there at the doors.

“Alex!” Katja called down to her. “I’m up here!” She waved so that Alex could see her.

“What’s it like in there?” Alex called back to her.

“Empty!” said Katja. “Pretty, though!” Although now that she looked, it wasn’t entirely empty. A few people wandered around, looking lost. One of them wore mayoral clothing. “Hey, I think I found Jarlaheim’s old mayor!”

“Great job!” said Alex. “Try to find a way out. I’ll come back every day to see you, I promise!”

“I will!” said Katja. “Bye for now, my love. Oh, and don’t worry about Buck. He’s just here to stop other people getting in.”

“Okay!” said Alex. “I’ll be back, I promise!”

Katja watched her go before resuming her explorations of the fort. With any luck, she’d be out of here in no time.


End file.
